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THE HOSPITAL FOR THE PARALYSED AND EPILEPTIC.
484 which would carry to the minds of the conviction of most obstinate anti-vaccinators, if such persons were evel amenable to reason. Dr. Hilles states that all the six cases that occurred in January were unvaccinated, and of these five, or 83’3 per cent., died. During February, of forty-foul cases, twenty-six were vaccinated, of which two, or 7’7 pei cent., died; fifteen were unvaccinated, of which nine, or 6C per cent., died; and the remaining three were doubtful cases, Up to March 25th, the date of Dr. Hilles’ communication, sixty-three cases had occurred during the month, and again the mortality has been nearly confined to the non-vaccinated cases. Only one case of an unvaccinated adult attacked with small-pox has terminated favourably. The action oi the Local Government Board in this matter is of the gravesi interest. If it were certain that the epidemic of small-po could be confined to the Keighley Union, its guardians might perhaps be allowed to indulge in their fatal objection tc compulsory vaccination, but, in the manifest impossibility oj such an arrangement, the interests of the public at large demand that the central authority shall, in this instance; over-ride the local authority.
published
figures in a local paper the utility of vaccination
some
THE
HEALTH
OF
JEWS.
problem sociology interesting than that of the position and characteristics of the Jewish race. Attention has lately been called to some of their special social relationships in an article in the Jewish Chronicle. Amongst the interesting facts mentioned is that the proportion of male children born is greater than among Christians in the same localities. The excess of male births among the Jews is said to amount to l8 per cent., while among Christians it is only 6½ per cent. Nevertheless, if all ages are compared, there is a much greater excess of Jewish females than among the Christian population, and this seems due to the greater longevity of that sex among the Jews. The health of Jews is, as a rule, remarkably good. They suffer in a very slight degree from hereditary diseases and from prevailing epidemics. Dr. Stallard pointed out years ago their immunity from scrofula. No doubt their intermarriage, the race being pure, has some influence in excluding extraneous sources of hereditary disease. Their freedom from prevailing epidemics has frequently been observed, and has been recorded with reference to plague, typhus, intermittent fevers, dysentery, and cholera, and no doubt it is to be ascribed in great measure to the greater care with No
which are
in
they
observe
is
some
more
hygienic precautions.
Their poor
will go
way towards explaining their comparative the average life of tradesmen being about ten longevity, than that of labourers in large towns. longer
years
a
long
THE HOSPITAL FOR THE PARALYSED AND EPILEPTIC.
THE annual general meeting of this hospital was held last week, when a very satisfactory report was presented. The receipts were stated to have been amply sufficient to cover the expenditure, and in every way the hospital had been progressing favourably. In seconding the adoption of the report, Mr. Chandler, to whose exertions,joined with those of his sister, the hospital owes its present position, stated that an endeavour was being made to open an additional self-supporting wing for the genteel poor. He added that such accommodation was much wanted in London, and that there were many who would be too happy to pay for bed and attendance in hospital if they could obtain it, but that he believed no such charity existed. Three or four hundred pounds would be required to defray the necessary expenses of the project, and it was hoped that this sum would soon be contributed. We cannot but congratulate the authorities at Queen-square on this step, and perhaps we may be permitted also to congratulate ourselves. Our comments on the subject of hospital accommodation for this class of patients will be fresh in the memory of our readers, and are too recent to require more than a passing reference; and they may probably have had some influence in determining the adoption of this plan. At any rate, there could be no fitter sphere for a thorough and fair trial of the system of self-supporting hospitals. The hospital at Queen-square has from the first been free from even a suspicion of any of the defects and faults of many of the special hospitals in London. It has numbered on its staff many of the most distinguished physicians of general hospitals who have devoted themselves to the study of nervous diseases, and its admirably arranged special appliances for the treatment of these disorders, and the opportunities it affords for their investigation, have always been freely open to the profession, and have been widely utilised both by English and foreign practitioners. If Mr. Chandler should succeed in his praiseworthy attempt, it will not be amongst the least of the benefits he has conferred upon the profession and the public, and it will form a worthy sequel to the charitable work so ably commenced and supported by himself and his sister. We trust that the success will be so complete as to lead to the adoption of the plan by many of our general
not, however, remarkably cleanly in their habits, and hospitals.
____
suffer much from such diseases as ophthalmia and many IS FOOTBALL DANGEROUS? skin diseases. The average longevity of Jews is asserted to be, in consequence of various causes, greater than that THE death of Sydney Branson, a promising student of of Christians by about five years. If this fact be sub- St. George’s Hospital, from injuries received during a footstantiated by wide and careful statistical information, it is ball match, has provoked a discussion in the daily press as of great importance with regard to life insurance, and Jews to the dangers attendant on that game. In answering the should be admitted at a more favourable rate than question, 11 its football dangerous ?" we would distinguish Christians. No doubt this greater longevity is in part due between the game as played by boys and as played by men. to the great care which Jews exercise over their children, With respect to boys, we believe the game, even the muchtheir poor, and their infirm. Among the Jews these rarely abused Rugby game, to be as safe as any other athletic escape careful tending, whereas among the rest of the popu- pursuit, provided always that the boys engaged in it are lation they are too often allowed by neglect to become the sound and healthy. If a boy is feeble or liable to any scroprey of disease and death. Another cause, to which no fulous tendency, he ought to be prohibited the game, for small influence must be ascribed, is the circumstance that in such a case the effect of even a slight kick or wrench the callings of Jews are rarely such as involve great hazard might cause necrosis of a bone or disease of a joint. Our The occupations which involve the largest mor- Sanitary Commissioners, during their recent visit to the to life. tality-publican s, butchers, bakers, miners, labourers among public schools, have made a point of inquiring into the dangerous machinery-are never followed by Jews, because effect of the various school games on the health of the boys, incompatible with the due observance of their Sabbath. and the universal testimony of the masters is that the They follow occupations which allow them freedom, and as health of the school is at its best during the football season. a rule choose some department of trade. This fact alone As a matter of fact, by a process, we suppose, of natural
published
figures in a local paper the utility of vaccination
some
THE
HEALTH
OF
JEWS.
problem sociology interesting than that of the position and characteristics of the Jewish race. Attention has lately been called to some of their special social relationships in an article in the Jewish Chronicle. Amongst the interesting facts mentioned is that the proportion of male children born is greater than among Christians in the same localities. The excess of male births among the Jews is said to amount to l8 per cent., while among Christians it is only 6½ per cent. Nevertheless, if all ages are compared, there is a much greater excess of Jewish females than among the Christian population, and this seems due to the greater longevity of that sex among the Jews. The health of Jews is, as a rule, remarkably good. They suffer in a very slight degree from hereditary diseases and from prevailing epidemics. Dr. Stallard pointed out years ago their immunity from scrofula. No doubt their intermarriage, the race being pure, has some influence in excluding extraneous sources of hereditary disease. Their freedom from prevailing epidemics has frequently been observed, and has been recorded with reference to plague, typhus, intermittent fevers, dysentery, and cholera, and no doubt it is to be ascribed in great measure to the greater care with No
which are
in
they
observe
is
some
more
hygienic precautions.
Their poor
will go
way towards explaining their comparative the average life of tradesmen being about ten longevity, than that of labourers in large towns. longer
years
a
long
THE HOSPITAL FOR THE PARALYSED AND EPILEPTIC.
THE annual general meeting of this hospital was held last week, when a very satisfactory report was presented. The receipts were stated to have been amply sufficient to cover the expenditure, and in every way the hospital had been progressing favourably. In seconding the adoption of the report, Mr. Chandler, to whose exertions,joined with those of his sister, the hospital owes its present position, stated that an endeavour was being made to open an additional self-supporting wing for the genteel poor. He added that such accommodation was much wanted in London, and that there were many who would be too happy to pay for bed and attendance in hospital if they could obtain it, but that he believed no such charity existed. Three or four hundred pounds would be required to defray the necessary expenses of the project, and it was hoped that this sum would soon be contributed. We cannot but congratulate the authorities at Queen-square on this step, and perhaps we may be permitted also to congratulate ourselves. Our comments on the subject of hospital accommodation for this class of patients will be fresh in the memory of our readers, and are too recent to require more than a passing reference; and they may probably have had some influence in determining the adoption of this plan. At any rate, there could be no fitter sphere for a thorough and fair trial of the system of self-supporting hospitals. The hospital at Queen-square has from the first been free from even a suspicion of any of the defects and faults of many of the special hospitals in London. It has numbered on its staff many of the most distinguished physicians of general hospitals who have devoted themselves to the study of nervous diseases, and its admirably arranged special appliances for the treatment of these disorders, and the opportunities it affords for their investigation, have always been freely open to the profession, and have been widely utilised both by English and foreign practitioners. If Mr. Chandler should succeed in his praiseworthy attempt, it will not be amongst the least of the benefits he has conferred upon the profession and the public, and it will form a worthy sequel to the charitable work so ably commenced and supported by himself and his sister. We trust that the success will be so complete as to lead to the adoption of the plan by many of our general
not, however, remarkably cleanly in their habits, and hospitals.
____
suffer much from such diseases as ophthalmia and many IS FOOTBALL DANGEROUS? skin diseases. The average longevity of Jews is asserted to be, in consequence of various causes, greater than that THE death of Sydney Branson, a promising student of of Christians by about five years. If this fact be sub- St. George’s Hospital, from injuries received during a footstantiated by wide and careful statistical information, it is ball match, has provoked a discussion in the daily press as of great importance with regard to life insurance, and Jews to the dangers attendant on that game. In answering the should be admitted at a more favourable rate than question, 11 its football dangerous ?" we would distinguish Christians. No doubt this greater longevity is in part due between the game as played by boys and as played by men. to the great care which Jews exercise over their children, With respect to boys, we believe the game, even the muchtheir poor, and their infirm. Among the Jews these rarely abused Rugby game, to be as safe as any other athletic escape careful tending, whereas among the rest of the popu- pursuit, provided always that the boys engaged in it are lation they are too often allowed by neglect to become the sound and healthy. If a boy is feeble or liable to any scroprey of disease and death. Another cause, to which no fulous tendency, he ought to be prohibited the game, for small influence must be ascribed, is the circumstance that in such a case the effect of even a slight kick or wrench the callings of Jews are rarely such as involve great hazard might cause necrosis of a bone or disease of a joint. Our The occupations which involve the largest mor- Sanitary Commissioners, during their recent visit to the to life. tality-publican s, butchers, bakers, miners, labourers among public schools, have made a point of inquiring into the dangerous machinery-are never followed by Jews, because effect of the various school games on the health of the boys, incompatible with the due observance of their Sabbath. and the universal testimony of the masters is that the They follow occupations which allow them freedom, and as health of the school is at its best during the football season. a rule choose some department of trade. This fact alone As a matter of fact, by a process, we suppose, of natural